Did Ya Know?... Carthage Aquatic
Team sign ups will be April 21st, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the
United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall.

Did Ya Know?... Carthage High
School and Carthage Council on the Arts are presenting
the Main Street Jazz Concert, Tuesday, April 21 at 7:00
p.m. in the Main Street Auditorium. Admission is free.
For more information call 417-358-7268.

1899INTERESTING MELANGE. A Chronological Record of Events as they have
Transpired in the City and County since our last Issue.

A Letter Filed for
Record.

An unusual filing was made this morning
in the office of the county recorder. It was a letter
written by Robert Southem of Sarcoxie to J. S. Culliman
of Corsicana, Texas. The writer states that the letter
was written at the request of Richard B. Riley and the
letter explains his position on giving a lease on his
farming land near Sarcoxie to Mr. Riley for mining
purposes. He says that on account of so many being given
to parties who have no idea of mining but simply take the
land for a speculation, many tracts are tied up for
years. He says he does not intend to be caught in any
such situation and therefore will not at present make any
leases. He says, however, that he is quite desirous of
seeing that particular mining region developed and as an
inducement thereto he promises and binds himself to
execute a lease on the land in question as soon as the
company will bring a steam drill into the neighborhood
and begin work.

The Mornin Mail
questioned owners and employees last Friday at
businesses located on and around the square
concerning whether or not County elected
officials should be allowed to have unlimited
parking passes in the 2 hour parking zones around
the square. Most surveyed said they should not.

Of the 23 individuals surveyed
most said they thought elected officials should
have to walk like everyone else unless on
official business like transporting prisoners.
Those opposing the free pass practice numbered
15. Four said it was alright, two said they
didnt care one way or the other, and two
had no comment.

The practice of the City
issuing parking passes to elected County
officials was first reported by the Mornin
Mail in the April 3 issue when it was
discovered the passes were being copied and used
by Courthouse employees.

City officials have stated they
were unaware of the free passes and could find no
ordinance to support the practice, apparently put
in place by the former Police Chief.

Noticed a lot of
convertibles with tops down the last few
days. There was a time that I thought the
idea of havin an air-conditioner in a
convertible was really silly. I have since
reconsidered my position on that matter.

I havent owned a
convertible for years, but I assume that
there have been improvements to the mechanics
and function of the "rag top." The
back window used ta be a sensitive
contraption. They zipped in place and
scratched easily as I remember. I do notice
that there hasnt been any easy solution
to puttin on the "boot." Most
of the vehicles Ive seen run with that
protective and aesthetic coverin not in
place.

Havin a few days of
favorable weather to run with the top down is
fun, but thinkin back, it sure was
work.

Last week, we learned about
clearing debris from the rooftop and noting
damage to be taken care of. This week, lets
go into more detail about the gutter system -- a
critical component of a healthy roof and a
healthy house.

Gutter dams -- buildups of
leaves, twigs, nests and other debris in one or
more spots along a gutter run -- can cause a lot
of damage to the gutter, and left unchecked, can
cause problems in other parts of the house. For
example, water spilling over the top of a gutter
or through a torn gutter seam can very quickly
cause leaks or cracks in the foundation directly
beneath that spot.

So inspecting and cleaning the
gutter system twice a year -- spring and fall --
is important. You can do some of this inspection
from the rooftop, but for a more thorough look,
set up a ladder and move along the run.

To clean the gutters, wear
sturdy work gloves and carry a couple of tools in
your belt, particularly a long screwdriver or
sturdy rod to break up stubborn dams. Once the
debris piles are loosened up with a long tool
(which also scares off any critters ), grab the
debris and throw them down to the ground.

Once all these dams are cleared
away, take the garden hose up with you, set it at
the highest end of the run, and have your helper
turn the water on full force. The water will wash
remaining leaves and debris to the top of the
downspout, where they will pile up on the
downspout screen -- from which you can remove
them. The water flow also will reveal leaks in
the gutter system that can be patched up after
the cleaning is complete.

Most leaks appear at the seams
where sections of the gutter run meet up. (This
is also where most dams tend to build up, as
there is a little lip at the seam on which debris
can get caught.) Loose seams can be reconnected
fairly quickly by drilling a new hole through the
upper side of the gutter sections where they
overlap, and inserting a screw and washer (with
the head inside the gutter and the screw
protruding outside it), tightening with a
wingnut.

Gutter sections with rips or
holes in the middle, rather than the seams,
should be replaced if possible. If a hole is not
too big, however, it can be patched using a
gutter patch kit.